West Coast Beaches - photos

About West Coast Beaches

The Westcoast region of New Zealand's South Island has a spectacular coastline which is framed by beautiful rainforests, mountains, and lakes. The coastline extrends some 600 km (372 miles) northward from Awarua Point to Kahurangi Point.

To the west is the Tasman Sea which sits between New Zealand and Austalia. This sea can get very rough with huge swells being common. To the east is the biggest mountain range in the country the Southern Alps. Much of the Westcoast is rugged and isolated, with populated areas usually residing in coastal plains.